Frustrated, Tracy tore away from Aldon and slipped out of the office deeply unsettled. It was understandable that Aldon would think she was obsessed, but Tracy knew better. She decided to go back upstairs to Ashley’s room. Once Ashley was settled in familiar territory perhaps things might normalize. She might even give Tracy some additional information that would clear everything up.
Tracy took her time going to Ashley’s room. First she stopped in the bathroom and splashed cold water over her face. Was it possible that Aldon was right? Was Tracy not thinking clearly? Was she imagining things about Ashley? She had to find out.
When she arrived at Ashley’s room, as Tracy expected guards were posted at the door. Tracy flashed her badge, and once again, they immediately allowed her to enter.
Inside, the room had a dim, dank sense about it, with the lights only half on. It felt strange being in here, too quiet and empty, as if no one were inside. Startled, Tracy looked around carefully. Then, in the shadows, she saw Ashley lying on her bed, looking up at the ceiling, not stirring a muscle. Tracy wondered if Ashley had heard her come in.
“Are you awake, Ashley?” Tracy asked softly as she took a step toward her.
At that Ashley turned onto her side and looked over at Tracy. “What are you doing here?” she mumbled. “I didn’t invite you.”
“I want to make things right between us, Ashley.” Tracy continued taking very small steps closer.
“No, you don’t.” Ashley shook her head.
“Yes, I do,” Tracy insisted, taking another small step closer.
At that Ashley suddenly bolted up swiftly. Her strength and agility shocked Tracy.
“Wow, you’re doing great,” Tracy exclaimed as Ashley stood full up out of bed.
“Why shouldn’t I do great? It was nothing much, just blood from a cut on my arm.” Ashley looked menacing.
Tracy didn’t know what to make of that comment.
“I didn’t invite you, did I?” Ashley repeated.
“No, you didn’t.” Tracy wondered if this was the wrong time and she should back away.
But suddenly Ashley lurched forward and grabbed Tracy’s arm.
“Just stop where you are right now!” she demanded.
“Okay, I’ll go.” Tracy tried to pull away.
“It’s too late for that now.” Ashley held on tighter. “You think I’m some kind of idiot, don’t you?”
“Not at all.” Tracy was frightened by Ashley’s sudden surge of anger.
“You came back to round out your investigation, didn’t you?” Ashley fumed.
“I came back because I don’t believe Enid is the killer.” Tracy had to unsettle Ashley, get her to blurt more out.
Ashley guffawed. “Who cares what a weakling like you believes?”
“I’m on the trail of the real killer, Ashley,” Tracy flung back.
“Enid is the right killer,” Ashley practically spit at her. “What’s so hard about figuring that out? She’s rotten and nasty to everyone.”
“But how can we be sure?” Tracy began to feel a sense of despair.
“Enid’s fingerprints were found on the knife, weren’t they? And also on the letter.” Ashley then began to smile.
Say more, say more, Tracy thought. With every word, you’re going down.
“I haven’t seen the evidence for myself yet.” Tracy played dumb. “But you seem to know all about it. How come?”
“You know how I know Enid’s prints are all over everything?” Ashley shoved her face at Tracy threateningly.
Tracy’s legs began to feel weak. “How?”
“I know it because I wrote the letter in Enid’s handwriting. It took a long time doing it, too. I copied each letter for all I was worth.”
Tracy felt her skin crawling.
“Then I hid the letter in Enid’s file.” Ashley smiled strangely, displaying a perfect row of tiny teeth. “It was fun to hide it. Everyone was hunting around.”
Tracy was flabbergasted. “Why?” Tracy breathed. “Why did you do it?”
“And I’m the one who got Enid’s fingerprints and smeared them all over the knife.” Ashley’s eyes were shining with victory. “Then I used the knife to cut myself on the fleshy part of my arm. It wasn’t hard, Tracy. There was nothing to it. I just cut my arm, not the jugular, like everyone else.” Ashley was thoroughly enjoying every minute of the horror Tracy was experiencing.
“Why?” Tracy’s voice now took on a bleating tone.
“Everyone needs to get what they deserve, including Enid.” Ashley’s face darkened. “You think I’m stupid? Well, I’m not. When people turn against me, they get their due.”
“You slashed all the others on the jugular?” Tracy could barely speak.
Ashley dug her fingernails into Tracy’s arm harder. “I’m not stupid, they all hated me, but they weren’t alone. I hated them, too. In the beginning I started with one killing, stupid Sandra Blackman. It was easy, it was sweet. After it was over, she even had a smile on her face.”
“My God, my God,” Tracy wailed.
“It made my day, it made me happy,” Ashley went on fast. “Not only was I standing up for myself finally, I was ridding the world of these miserable lunatics. And taking them out of their pain!”
“How did you do it?” gasped Tracy. “Did you use the knife?”
“Not the knife.” Ashley swirled around then and pulled something out from under her pillow.
“See this?”
Frozen in horror, Tracy could only stare.
Ashley lifted a long, fine, shiny razor in front of Tracy’s face. For a second the light glinted off it, glaring in Tracy’s eyes.
“I used this razor, liked it better this way,” said Ashley.
“Wait a minute, please, let me see it,” Tracy could only mumble before the razor flew down in front of her face.
Then suddenly, a sharp flash of searing pain shot through Tracy.
“Stop, stop,” yelled Tracy, twisting and turning as the razor came at her, slashing again and again until, thankfully, darkness overcame her.
The darkness was warm, it was soothing, but Tracy fought its embrace. I’ve been slashed, Ashley’s got me—the thoughts swirled through Tracy. I didn’t fight back, I couldn’t. Tracy struggled with all her might to say something, but to her sorrow, she could no longer move or speak.
In the far distance Tracy heard bells ringing and voices echoing over her head. Who was there? She couldn’t tell exactly. With all her might Tracy tried to lift herself out of the pit she was falling into. But like a helpless wave in the ocean, she rose a little and then fell back, emerged for a few moments and then disappeared.
“Code Three, Code Three,” voices were calling in the background. Then strong arms came and lifted Tracy’s body onto a stretcher.
“It doesn’t look good,” Tracy heard a voice behind her as they slowly carried her away.
Tracy was desperate to answer, to call out and ask where she was being taken, but her mouth would not open. The words did not form. She wanted to tell them she was still alive, would not die, but her words had vanished. The connection between her mind and body was gone. Then, in what seemed like a very few minutes, all went mercifully dark.
Tracy slept. Still, in her sleep, voices came close and receded. People were around her, she knew that. No matter how it looked to others, she was not truly gone.